UEFA Cup Becomes Europa League
Europe's Second-Best Club Event Gets New Name, New Format
May 7, 2009
The UEFA Cup - which began in the 1971-72 season - will go by the wayside after this season as the UEFA Europa League will begin next season, bringing more money to UEFA and the participating clubs with central television marketing and name and ball sponsors.
New Format
The format of the competition has been redone six years after the controversial introduction of the group stage. Starting in 2009-10, 48 teams will be split up into 12 groups with four teams. Each team will play the other group members at home and away. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage, which will be made up of 32 teams including the eight third-placed teams from the eight Champions League groups. The titleholders and ten clubs eliminated from the UEFA Champions League play-off round qualify automatically for the group stage.
Qualification
There will be four rounds of qualifying for the Europa League. The first round will consist of the domestic cup winners from UEFA coefficient ranked 52 and 53 associations; the league runners-up from associations ranked 35 to 51 (except Liechtenstein); the third-placed team from associations ranked 22 to 51 (except Liechtenstein); and the three UEFA Fair Play winners.
Second Qualifying Round
The winners of those 25 two-leg ties will be joined in second qualifying round by domestic cup winners from associations ranked 28 to 51; the runners-up from associations ranked 19 to 34; the third-placed teams from associations ranked 16 to 21; the fourth-placed teams from associations 10 to 15; and the fifth-placed clubs from associations 7 to 9.
Third Qualifying Round
Those 40 tie winners reach the third qualifying round along with the domestic cup winners from associations ranked 16 to 27; the league runners-up from associations 16 to 18; the third-placed teams from associations ranked 10 to 15; the fourth-placed team from associations ranked 7 to 9; the fifth-placed teams from association ranked 4 to 6; and the sixth-placed side from associations ranked 1 to 3.
Play-Off Round
The 35 winners of the third qualifying advance to the play-off round along with the 15 losing teams from the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League; the domestic cup winners from associations ranked 1 to 15; the third-placed sides from associations ranked 7 to 9; the fourth-placed teams from associations ranked 4 to 6; and the fifth-placed teams from associations ranked 1 to 3.
Europa League Group Stage
The 48-team Europa League group stage will be made up of the 37 winners of the play-off round; the ten losers from the UEFA Champions League play-off round; and the UEFA Europa League holders.
Europa League Round Of 32
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups along with the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage will play in the Round of 32 in two-leg ties.
First Europa League Final In Hamburg
The first Europa League final will take place on May 12, 2010 at the HSH Nordbank Arena in Hamburg.
